having NOT and UNLESS in the same sentence

Comments

• rafaelito Alum Member

  September 2017 1063 karma

  When I see 'unless' and 'not' I immediately make the 'not' variable the sufficient condition. I think it's the easiest way to do it.

  D) published -> well written and important

  but the correct answer is A) impt -> published
  we need important and well written -> published to fill the gap. impt -> published gives us that.
• Gary NYC Free Trial Member

  September 2017 95 karma

  @RafaelBernard I think i'm getting it. My only question is... do you negate the not variable because it starts off with not?

  In other words if we have this example:

  He is not cool unless he is on the football team

  is it

  A. /cool (negate cool)----> on football team

  or

  b. cool (not negated)---> on football team

  In other words, does the not make it negative when you do this?
• rafaelito Alum Member

  September 2017 edited September 2017 1063 karma

  He is not cool unless he is on the football team.
  cool -> football team

  You negate 'not cool' which becomes cool. I do this because it's the easiest way to do it. Don't think of 'not' as a 4th group indicator when you see the unless. Just negate that term and put it in the sufficient condition. All that means is dropping the not and turning unless into the arrow.

  Here's another example.

  The car won't run unless it's full of gas.
• Gary NYC Free Trial Member

  September 2017 95 karma

  so.

  car runs----> full of gas

  I see. whatever has not in front of it, is made positive and put as the sufficient condition?
• rafaelito Alum Member

  September 2017 edited September 2017 1063 karma

  @"Gary NYC" said:
  so.

  car runs----> full of gas

  I see. whatever has not in front of it, is made positive and put as the sufficient condition?

  Yup, that's right. Now it only applies when there is a 'not' and an 'unless'. If there are two nots, just take one concept. But for me this is by far the easiest way to think of conditional statements when there is a 'not' and an 'unless' in the same sentence.
• Paul Caint Alum Member ⭐

  September 2017 3521 karma

  I always translate these statements into their positive versions, then diagram their contrapositives. For example:

  I will not do well on the LSAT unless I study.

  If I do well on the test, I must have studied.

  DW -> S

  S/ -> DW/
• Gary NYC Free Trial Member

  September 2017 95 karma

  thank you both!!!